The morning sun shine over the garden of sunflowers, Arthur exhaled as a slow stream of smoke blow out of his mouth.
After yesterday exam, the moral of everyone had dropped. Must of the remaining teams simply stayed indoors while the others tried to see the bigger picture.
Arthur took some time to take a smoke break outside, then suddenly he heard footsteps approaching.
Joseph stood at the edge of the path, hands in his pockets, his usual composed demeanor softened by exhaustion, "Mind if I join you?"
Arthur flicked ash, "Knock yourself out."
Joseph settled beside him on the stone bench, "How's your team?" He asked
After a quick smoke, "Miles wanted to stay behind in our dorm room for a bit. Gwin had to do something. Overall, we doing okay. What about you? How was it yesterday?"
"Violet got crushed," Joseph said abruptly, "Armageddon increased her gravity. One second she was beside me, the next she screaming in pain as her bone were crushed. Jackie tried to counter by transcending lightning speed, but Armageddon outsmarted him, Armageddon inverted Jackie mass and he shot himself all the way out of orbit.
After listening, Arthur untied his hair, "I see."
"And you?" Joseph asked
"Gwin died. After Sin knocked her through a building. Her trigger turned her into a puppet as a lost ditch effort, but he blast her with some energy wave."
His grip on the cigarette tightened, "Miles barely got the hostage out, but his trigger went on rampage. Didn't last long until Sin destroyed it."
Joseph's gaze sharpened, "But you won."
"Yeah." Arthur took a final drag before crushing the cigarette underfoot, "Not sure it counts as winning."
A breeze rustled the sunflowers in front of them.
"These tests lately..." Joseph mused, "Are completely different from what the previous years exams has been. I'm surprised that so many of us are still in this."
Arthur side-eyed him, "My mom and siblings told me how the exam went for them. I must say that either we are over level for this or they making it easier on purpose. Yesterday exam was the hardest part so far in my opinion."
"Could be because of me. The elders would must likely want me to become like my grandfather. They could influence the way these test have been conducted."
Arthur lightly chuckled, "I find it unlikely. I see it as a way to learn how everyone trigger especially complex user work in different environments. Since we are considered to be the strongest form of trigger users. Learning how we use them in different environments will benefit them in the future."
Joseph leaned forward to pick up a sunflower, "Are you implying that this whole exam is a front."
"Wouldn't you?" Arthur replied.
Joseph reminded quiet, not giving an answer. Arthur avert his gaze towards the sky.
"Did you read the book?" Joseph causal asked.
Arthur nodded slightly, "What happened to the ending?"
"I simply rip it out. From my point of view, the reader create the ending of the story. I see you as the blue while I'm the red, under the same principle of the books new ending conditions. I wanted to create the ending were the red oni won." He crushed the sunflower in his palm before it disintegrated.
Arthur's pulse spiked slightly.
"But you decide to change the blue oni character completely. Making it harder to see myself as the rightful winner of this feud." Joseph stood up staring towards the sky as he recalled everything people have told him.
Get revenge, avenge your grandfather, or bring back your grandfather honour.
He turned and locked eyes with him, "So I'll ask you once. Did you believe that you were innocent?"
Arthur got up and never left Joseph sight.
"No." He gave the answer that was true but not to him.
"When Empire Gold and Kaizer fought... I was watching their final showdown. Then my trigger at the worst time. Just a second later his Trigger was gone." Continue to look regretful towards Joseph, "Kaizer didn't hesitate. He did it right in front of me."
Joseph didn't move but his golden eyes glowed brightly, "I see. So it was an accident them."
"I'm afraid do. I still carry that Sin with me." Arthur replied.
Silence.
Then Joseph laughed, "Damn it." He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, "I wish I could hate you. It'd be simpler."
Arthur said nothing.